Guitar Lesson

Tuning a guitar properly challenged me as I started guitar lessons in junior high. I had not had a lot of ear training so getting the pitch correct on each string took some time yet was crucial to creating melodic chords. To get the correct note, I had to tighten each string. However, I was always afraid of breaking the string by over tightening it.

We lived in a small town, so if I broke a string, we had to go to the music store 45 minutes away. Although my guitar now sits in a closet, untouched for many years, the lesson of tuning it stays with me.

Just like the guitar, our lives produce a harmony unique to us. I pray that the music of my life brings a beautiful melody to God’s ears. For me to do that I must stay in tune with His word. When tuning the guitar, I used a small tuner to help me get the tension correct on each string. In life, I need to align my life to God’s Word, ensuring that the words of my mouth, the thoughts in my mind, and the actions of my life match the pitch and tone of Scripture.

Just like tuning the guitar stings to the correct pitch is done by creating tension, my flesh tenses under the desire to match my life to God’s plan. My flesh desperately wants to do its own thing; however, I must force it into submission to God’s will which creates tension. Only when my life aligns to God’s will does my life play that beautiful, in-tune melody.

If I allow my flesh control, no tension would be placed on my strings. I may be temporarily comfortable; however, the melody of my life will be decidedly flat and out of tune. When my flesh controls my actions, I react to situations instead of allowing God control. People experience my crankiness, anger, frustration, disappointment, or moodiness. Yet, when I submit to the direction of the Holy Spirit, I offer others grace, mercy, and encouragement. If I were on the receiving end of this, I would prefer the latter.

Bringing our flesh under control challenges all of us. However, I Corinthians 9:27 provides a great reminder for why we should do so. “But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.” We certainly don’t want to be disqualified in our testimony of Christ. Bringing our flesh under control produces a testimony for others of the powerful work of God in our lives.

My prayer is that we fulfill the latter part of I Corinthians 10:31 by doing all to the glory of God. May we all play a melody fit for our King.